HHP Summer Camps Receive UW Funding

(San Marcos, TX | December 18, 2015)

Two 2016 Summer Camps led by faculty in the Department of Health and Human Performance received funding from the United Way of Hays County.

Congratulations to Principal Investigator Dr. Ting Liu—Associate Professor in Exercise & Sports Science in HHP—for receiving $8,000 from the United Way of Hays County to support the Texas State University Autism Summer Camp, a partnership between HHP and San Marcos CISD. The camp, the first of its kind in Hays County, serves children with autism from low-income families by providing high-quality camp experiences while being sensitive to each child’s unique abilities. No child is turned away based on the severity of his/her disability. In summer 2016, Dr. Liu’s goal is to secure funding to serve 35 low-income Hays County children in the Autism Summer Camp, with each family receiving a $400 scholarship to help defray the cost of child care during the summer. This $8,000 award will support 20 children and their families.

Congratulations to Principal Investigator Dr. Karen Meaney—Professor in Exercise & Sports Science in HHP—and Co-Principal Investigator Dr. Kent Griffin—Assistant Professor in Exercise & Sports Science in HHP—for receiving $6,000 from the United Way of Hays County to support the Fun & Fit 4 Life Summer Camp. The purpose of the camp is to provide children from low-income San Marcos families innovative, fun, and purposeful experiences related to positive youth development, physical activity, health, and college readiness. Fun & Fit 4 Life Summer Camp provides activities specifically designed to impact approximately 100 campers’ participation in physical activity, attitudes and behaviors toward healthy choices, understanding of the importance of education to their futures, and awareness of the benefits of cooperative and respectful behaviors. Fun & Fit 4 Life Summer Camp also affords approximately 40 (35 undergraduate, 5 graduate) students in Texas State University’s teacher preparation program invaluable experiences as they develop and deliver age-appropriate curriculum to at-risk children.